Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-03-18

tHS S1fCits 0GGAlt CuSlts1Is BtAog uISI
visit i must. stay Joel stays it ont well.
Unqu estionably he means business.
What s to preyentp He's a frst-rate
fellow, and II make q kind husband.
# 4 want sure Of that Wouldn't con
sent to his having Roxanna. I should
hate to have him take her out to Cali
fornia. L hope it's true that he has.
bought back the old homestead. Well,
well, would mt / like to be q little mouse
in tho sitting-roonl wall about this
time. III Il H. Al. .557s.Ss:
N. Could he have had his wish q most
astounding little mouse would the
worthy man have impersonated.
gE 'sst4ou are the most; rlorbidly con-
scientious person, Roxy, that I know
Of Mr.. Kirby was saying, with a
froWn that scored his forehead with
horizontal wrinkles like the staff in
written music. IF / could only con
vince you that it was your duty to be
my wife, j should stand some chance Of
getting you. but, unluoky for me,
you've cherished this notion that YOU
ought to keep house for your brother
y E4t 81
:@#S.., Brother needs me- murmured Miss
Roxanna, tears swelling in her eyes Of
''baby blue III a, 55z. e 4 (. .. 81.
'.And don'tI need youp Haven't
some rights? During your stricken
sisters illness I consented to waive
these, but now she is gone. and Iwant
your $ s. - ~. *. 5s
ssDon't, JOEL, dom t." "a s4.
81 tell you I do, nd 1 can't help it, y
cried Mr.. Kirby with grim humor.
"When I couldn't move you by letter I
resolved I'd come and speak for myself,
You used to say you loved me, Roxy.
Can't you 5.:s ss5. .#. :. s. u
"You know plenty of other ladies,
Joel, younger and more pleasing"
faltered Miss Roxanna, neryously
smoothing the pale gliding Of hair that
framed her temples in a Gothic arch.
'.:'They arc nothing to me, replied
the gentleman, CURLY, almost as if he
esteemed the fact a matter of regret.
| Assured of the favor of more than
one pretty girl of his acquaintance,
was it not a little hard that the full
current Of his being must needs set
oward this unresponsive woman of 80?
It had been ever thus with Joel Kirby
from his perverse childhood, when, if
he wanted cake, no human power
could induce him to nibble ginger
bread. ....s.. -. q. = rs
''No, Roxy, there's only one woman
in the world for ME" he continued, in
u fro
different temperament. Has it never
occurred to you that he may marry Il,
second timep''
"Brother marry! O., no., indeed,
he'll never marry-marryr cried Miss
Roxanna, rooted and grounded in the
belief that her brothers heart was en-
tombed with the dead Climena. "No,
he could not take another wife, Joel.
and you see he has only me. I couldn't
be so cruel as to leave him. -. 4. h =
| To all Mr.. Kirby's subsequent
pleadings she made this reply, but it
soothed his chatting spirit not a little
that she made it with faltering, and
that she parted from himself with tears.
As the sound of his rapid wheels died
away in the distance she hastily dried
her eyes and hurried into the kitchen to
see about the belated supper. Mr.. Per
rim. still gloating over castles in Spain,
looked up with the roguish purpose of
greeting her as .'Mrs. Kirby, " but, dis
mayed at her troubled countenance, re-
marked instead that 1.-THE days were
getting shorter "a fact that she had
observed before. gz&@~ y :.
He felt as if he had received blow.
For him there was, there could be but
| one Interpretation of his sisters I'M
wonted emotion. She loved Kirby, and
Kirby no longer cared for her. Poor
girl, she had dreamed that a mans af-
fections were like granite powders, in
capable OF change, and she was awaken
ed with shock. Hapless Roxanna!
She, too, had her trials. Keeply SYM
pathetic, the magnanimous brother con-
cealed his own disappointment as best
he could, and layished upon his sorrow
ful sister an excess of tenderness.
s.You have the knack of spelling me
for other folks cooking, little woman,
that's the truth said he at tea-time, os-
tentatiously heaping his plate with cream
toast. "How should ever get a'ong?'''
THAT Ii make her feel that I appre-
ciate her if Joel DOESN'T he unused
benevolently, while she on her side of
the table was thinking, ..It's just as l
suspected; It would kill brother to lose
me- ssS% :" 5 IL s35:5 !. ssS 4
20, you manage somehow. Maybe
you'd marry she ventured timidly,
almost hearing the iuttering Of the
lost Climena's wings. 4. Fl
Pooh! pooh! sister, nothing seems
less likely = answered her brother in 3
voice SO sad that Miss Roxanna chided
herselffor having opened his old wound
afresh. But she had done it for Joel's
sake. She owed it to Joel to make
sure that there could be no misunder-.
standing.
The October days, with their noon
day patches Of sunshine and their heavy
border of twilight, came and went.
In spasm of hope that the charming
I<NvV 4 ~